The specific Aims of the Nathan Shock Center (NSC) at the University of Michigan (UM) are to: (i) facilitate and stimulate research programs in the cellular and molecular biology of aging; (ii) encourage the career development of biogerontologists, particularly junior faculty, and enrich the training environment for trainees; (iii) attract established UM faculty who are not working in biogerontology to initiate studies in this area; and (iv) utilize resources to develop collaborative relationships with other NSC's and with other universities world-wide. These aims will be achieved through the following initiatives: (i) an Administration/Enrichment Core (Faulkner) with an Internal Advisory & Core Directors' Committees; (ii) Research Development Core (Carlson) that supports workshops, pilot grants, and transitional salary support for junior faculty; (iii) five research resource cores; Transgenic Animal Models Core Camper), Aging Transgenic Rodent/Pathology Core (Keller), In Vivo Functionality Core (Metzger), and Contractility Core (Faulkner); (iv) an annual meeting of 15 senior NSC investigators to provide input to the Director and the two Committees; and (v) an External Advisory Committee. During the 9 years of NIA support, the NSC has done much to facilitate and stimulate research on aging since the participants have grown from 22 to 62 scientists at the UM and include 25 scientists at USA and foreign universities. The NSC at UM has also developed collaborative programs with the NSC at UTHSC at San Antonio and -other universities in the US and world-wide. The 62 NSC scientists investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging through multidisciplinary research in a dozen or more diverse research themes. The 15 senior scientists provide leadership to the NSC through directing cores, serving on committees, directing workshops, mentoring junior faculty and trainees, and organizing multidisciplinary collaborative research groups. The NSC has enhanced the quality and quantity of research on aging for scientists and trainees at UM and at universities world-wide.